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akame

akame

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15
Location
Fens of Lincolnshire
Hi

I've just registered, and thinking about taking up the sax. I already 'play' the clarinet, but being very petite (5ft, well, if I stretch), I'm struggling to cover the holes. My instructor has recommended the sax, and I had a lesson last week on an alto.

Found it much easier - I didn't squeak or squawk once!! The only question I have is size (of the sax, I mean)! I know I wouldn't manage a tenor, and I would need a proper harness, not just a neck strap. I don't fancy the soprano. Do lots of kids play the alto? I'm thinking most kids are bigger than me ..... :(

akame :)
 
Hi and a big welcome to the cafe :)

At 5ft TALL with a stretch i don't see a problem with playing alto or tenor, but as you say a harness would probably be better for the tenor.
The neck strap is used to take the weight of the sax, your thumb will have a little bit of ache for a short while but will eventually be fine, most kids start on alto when learning the sax.

Go for it and enjoy :)
 
Hey Hey akame ... Sunray waves from nearby - North Norfolk ... :old:

Can you hire or borrow an Alto and/or Tenor just to see how you get on for a few weeks ...

The thing is - they are both great instruments and you will eventually find you prefer either the Alto or the Tenor and naturally will spend more of your time honking one rather than the other ... :thumb:

Have a look at loads of video's on UTube at the different instruments - get used to their sounds - see what people Big and a fair bit Smaller choose to play and check out all the different style of music people play on their Sax's ... :sax:

In the end - the choice is yours ...

I am sure you could handle a Tenor if you choose to, so don't be too worried about the size thing ...

Oh! Welcome to the cafe akame ... Most of all Have Fun ... :w00t:
 
big welcome from me. As Sunray said, it's worth trying a tenor as well, but if the alto's comfortable, I wouldn't spend time looking too much further. Nice thing about the sax is that if you want to play a different sax, you don't need to learn a new set of fingerings.... So no real problem switching later. There's also a C tenor aka C Melody, pitched in C and somewhere between the alto and tenor in size as well as pitch. Some new ones on the market these days, but they weren't made for a long time, so most of the used ones are old. Not too many choices of mouthpieces and reeds, either.
 
Many thanks for the kind comments and welcomes :D

I've had a look at the bari on line - it's huge!! I don't think I'd be able to lift it....;} I can't go for anything too big - I broke my back in a car accident 20 odd years ago, so can't carry anything large. Anyway, my size prevents it anyway. I can't believe all the bari players are tiny!

My right thumb ached a little on my first lesson - I think I was trying to hold it rather than letting it rest against my right hip/thigh. That seemed weird after the clarinet. My instructor believes I'll progress in leaps and bounds - much better than the clarinet. He has an ex demo Jupiter 500 series for sale at £250. That seems like a good deal to me. Hardly been played, and as new. I suppose all I would need to start with also is a box of reeds (1.5 Vandoren?) and a harness.

I'll let you know what happens!! :)
 
akame said:
... an ex demo Jupiter 500 series for sale at £250. That seems like a good deal to me. Hardly been played, and as new. I suppose all I would need to start with also is a box of reeds (1.5 Vandoren?) and a harness.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good price, and Jupiter are good, even if not as common as Yamahas. Don't forget a mouthpiece & ligature, but it sounds as if that's organised as well. Let your teacher advise on reeds, Vandoren are good, but so are many other brands. Don't get too many 1.5s, you'll probably need to move up fairly quickly...
 
Welcome to the cafe, I m so glad that all bari players are small, that must include me :w00t: so good by Christmas diet I don't actually need you.......:shocked:arrrrrgggggg where are my feet! :)))
 
Hi Akame and welcome from the wilds of St Neots!

Barring your accident, I suspect the main problem for the shorter of stature is possibly the reach of the fingers, which sounds like the case for you with the clarinet. My younger son (12 in May) is under 5', and would probably be able to play my bari if he could reach the keys; he's also currently struggling with a "short-reach" bassoon, for much the same reason.

So whilst an alto is the "obvious" choice, if you can find a tenor you can hold and reach the keys on, and prefer it, I'd say go for it.

Or one or three of each, once the GAS* hits!

Cheers

Jonathan

*Gear Acquisition Syndrome
 
Many thanks to everyone for the warm welcome :thumb:

Well, I went and did it. Bought the Alto, that is. I'm getting on quite well - I can just about (well, 50% of the time), get the highest D well above the stave and have gone down to the lowest D just below the stave. I am still tending to over blow according to my tutor (having been used to clarinet) and my embouchure still needs to settle. Reaching - well, I can just reach the keys for the lowest C, but unlike the clarinet, there is no hole to cover so it is easier. I do have fairly long fingers, so that helps. Need to tune properly though - played with a CD and found myself woefully flat. Being small and wimpy, I can't push the mouthpiece on any further. I keep putting cork grease on - I suppose it will give eventually.

GAS - well, I think it has hit. I need a harness still, just bought a reed holder, need another pull through, a sax stand, music, Yamaha 4C mouthpiece..... etc! Pity Christmas is over, but have a birthday in a couple of months! :D

Miranda
 
Good luck with the alto. If the mouthpiece cork's too tight, get some 400 grade wet and dry and use it to sand the cork down a little. Cut strips of the wet and dry and pull them around the cork. this keeps it round and goes quickly. Make sure you protect the rest of the neck with something like masking tape, and hold the neck carefully in a rubber jawed vice.
 

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